1. As fighting erupts in Pakistan's financial hub and port city of Kirachi, top brass of Pakistani Army fears that if it ratchets up fight against the Taliban too much, the Army itself may disintegrate.

2. Crew member of Maersk Alabama suing ship owner and employer over lack of personnel security to prevent Somali piracy incident. May prove to make lack of security more costly than hiring professional security going forward.

3. Two Russians ejected from NATO 's Brussels headquarters on charges of spying in connection with an "Estonian official who was jailed for passing secrets to Moscow."

4. As Iranian refined gasoline imports have grown by 37%, American Congress seeks to sanction its suppliers. Meanwhile, former German chancellor Schröder, working for Russia now, is actively promoting international trade with the Iranian regime.

1. Three men in Britain were cleared of charges of planning the July 7th London bombings by a UK court. Two of the three, however, will be sentenced for conspiring to attend an al-Qaeda terrorist training camp.

2. Pakistani government says it has retaken a key town in the Buner district which was overrun by Taliban from neighboring Swat after a 'peace deal' was signed that included Taliban sharia law in Swat.

3. Back in Somalia after exile to Eritrea since 2007, al-Qaeda-trained Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys rebuffed offers of talks with government and called African Union peacekeepers 'bacteria' in Somalia and said they should be removed. Meanwhile, Somali insurgents launched attacks on AU peacekeeper bases throughout Somalia.

1. As AQ/Taliban insurgency gets bolder and creeps closer to Islamabad, Gen. Petraeus calls on Pakistani military to refocus. Pak military engagements in Swat operational epicenter include helicopters, area weapons such as rockets and artillery, but few troops on the ground to precisely defeat men.

2. Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari said there is no chance Pak nuclear weapons fall into terrorist hands. Proper question is: Will the government? Then control of nuclear assets in great peril.

3. Off coast of Somalia, Italian cruise ship attacked by pirates, but armed ship-board security repelled the Somali pirates. Another instance of prevention by making cost of piracy greater than reward through on-board armed security.

February 2, 2010[Listen Here]
What on Earth can Usama bin Laden, the mystical calculus of climate change and US Homeland Security have in common? Does bin Laden really agree with the President of the United States on matters weather? How is it that the...